Sirius' Birthday
by Eleni.Hoax
Summary: One shot: 4th year Lily goes to ask Remus for some homework help and finds a surprise in the boys' room. Based off my larger work, Gruff Impressions.


**AN: Hey guys! This is a one-shot from my larger work, Gruff Impressions. After posting the last chapter of year four, there really wasn't a good place to put this, but I cherish it so I thought I'd start some one-shots. **

**Characters/setting/anything you recognize is not mine. :)**

Lily stood outside the Gryffindor boys' dormitory door. It loomed sturdy and brown, and she swallowed, thinking of what lay inside before her. Raising her fist, she knocked.

Pettigrew partially opened the door and blocked it with his body, as if he didn't want the newcomer to see inside. There was a tumultuous amount of noise and movement going on behind him.

Still grinning from whatever they were doing, he said, "Yes? — Oh! Er, hi."

She smiled meekly. "Er, hello Peter. Is—" _CRASH_. "—er, Remus . . . in there?" She asked hopefully, standing on tiptoes to try and look past him.

A riot of laughter came from within as Peter turned to the scene behind. His frame shook with laughter from whatever had occurred before addressing the lot: "Hey, Lily Evans is here. She wants to see Remus."

"Evans?" came Potter's unmistakable voice.

There was a pause, as if they were deciding if she should be allowed to enter. "Sirius?" she heard Remus question. He must have confirmed, because a moment later the door swung open fully to reveal the most dangerous and alarming thing the redhead had ever seen.

Immediately, she noticed tiny scraps of burnt paper floating through the air. And on the floor . . . lay a cackling fire, burning what looked like a green tablecloth.

Lily's eyes popped. Jaw dropping, she pointed incredulously at the fire whilst staring at the four boys seated in turn. "Ah – wha – _fire,_" she stammered.

Potter was already grinning. "_Relax_, Evans. It's controlled."

A piece of parchment paper landed on her lips so she blew it off. "Controlled?"

"Totally."

"Er, what's going on?"

The others, having already turned their back on the arrival, had a new interest. Black was kneeling on the floor, ripping wrapping paper off of a present.

"_Excellent,_" he said, and Potter swiveled to look. "It's like they _knew."_ He held up a green hat with the Slytherin emblem. Grinning, he showcased the item and than nodded in Peter's direction. "Pete, it's your turn. Have a go."

Before Lily could understand, Black held the hat out at arm's' length and turned his body protectively away from it. Pettigrew took aim and with an incantation it alighted. Quickly, Black chucked it into the flames. All four boys pumped fists in the air and cheered.

Still grinning, Remus got up from the floor and joined Lily at the door. "What's up?" He asked pleasantly.

Her eyebrows shot up. "I could ask _you_ the same question. You have a _fire_ in your room." It was only then she saw the familiar emblem on other articles in the flame and realized the green tablecloth was not a tablecloth at all. It was more clothing. "What's with the Slytherin Pride?"

He grinned and gently procured a piece of wrapping paper from her hair. "Sirius's birthday. His family always sends rubbish stuff, so we're making a show of it."

"Uh-huh . . ." Lily half nodded.

"Oi, _Evans!_ Catch!" Black threw something quite large at her person. She caught it with an "_Oof!"_ turned it right-side up.

It was a large, heavy book entitled, _Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy._ She frowned at the cover.

"What's this for?"

"_Toujour pur_, darling," he said in a playful tone.

"I have no idea what that means."

Black waved a hand dismissively like he didn't want to explain. "My _dear_ mother must have sent it as a reminder that I shouldn't be hanging around riff-raff."

He exchanged looks with Potter and they broke into grins. "Though I suppose that means you, Pete. And of course if she only _knew _about you, Remus –" Lupin cleared his throat loudly.

"Say, Evans," Potter said in the spirit of adventure, "Want to do the honors?" He looked to Sirius to see if it was okay.

"I think that's a _delightful_ idea, James. If my mother could see it now, Muggleborn that you are, burning that book . . . Why, she'd faint!"

Realizing what they were asking was directed at her, Lily started. "Wait, you want _me_ to burn it?"

All four boys chuckled. Sirius said, "No, don't suppose you would. Not the burning type, eh, Evans?"

"Er, not usually, no."

He shrugged. "Hand it here, then. Remus, it's your turn."

Lupin was still standing at the door with Lily and said, "In a moment. James, you go." She handed him the book, so he could toss it back to Potter. Turning back to her, he asked, "So why the visit?"

Blushing sheepishly, Lily said, "I forgot the Ancient Runes homework."

"Ah, I wrote it down . . ." He turned just as James chucked the book in the flame. Ducking the flying pieces of explosion, Remus wound his way to a tattered bag and rummaged for a time, frowning. He snapped his fingers to get the boys' attention and said, "Oi - Have you seen my Ancient Runes notes lying around?"

James shook his head but Peter was exchanging guilty looks with Sirius.

"What?" Remus asked, afraid of the answer.

Sirius's eyes flickered to the fire. "Oops," he grinned faux-innocent, lifting his hands.

Remus gave him a look.

After a second, he resigned. "Happy birthday, Sirius . . ." He sighed in defeat.

Lily stifled a giggle. "Happy birthday, Sirius," she chorused. "And Remus?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let them burn the castle down."

"You'll be the first to know," he saluted.

Closing the door, Lily waved. "Bye!"

Turning around, she nearly bumped into Arnold McKinnon. She held out her arms to stop him. "Ooh, sorry!"

"No problem," he grinned. "Are that lot in?" he gestured to the doorway. "I found Peter Pettigrew's Charms homework in the common room."

"Yeah, but I don't think you want to go in there."

He furrowed his brows. "Why not?"

She laughed. "You'll see."


End file.
